Haruki (Haruki Arima Book 1)

by Laine Watson

  “Okay, what’s the address to the school?”

  Chapter Six: Max

  After getting the directions and name of the school, I turn up in the office of the elementary school to pick Max up, only to find I can’t actually pick him up because I don’t have authorization. So, I have to call my mother who has to call Mr. Arima, who then has to call the school. After all this is done, they release Max to me.

  “Who are you?” Max says, looking at me in the office.

  This is the right kid? I ask myself. “Are you Max Arima?”

  “Yeah,” he says.

  “Okay.” I smirk awkwardly. “So, I’m Summer.”

  “That’s your name?” he inquires, pulling his backpack over his shoulder.

  “Y-e-s…”

  “Tummer? You know that’s a season, right?”

  Oh yeah, I hear the speech issue. It’s not that bad though. I can still understand most of what he says.

  “Y-e-a-h…” I shake off the awkwardness of my answers. “Okay, anyway, I’m Ms. Vaughn’s daughter. Since you missed the bus, I came to get you for your session. Is that cool?”

  I wait for an answer for a few seconds, but I don’t get one. Is he ignoring me? He seems to be pondering something, and then he begins to speak.

  “Tummer Baughn … that’s a pretty tool name.”

  Aw, “Tummer Baughn.” His little voice is so cute, and “tool” He’s beyond adorable.

  “Um, yeah, thanks. So we can go?” Assuming he’s “tool” with it, I lead Max out of the office. “Thank you.” I don’t know if anyone in the office responds.

  Max and I walk toward the front of the building.

  “Your dad…” My phone rings, and I lose my train of thought. “I don’t know this number.” I stare at my phone and accept the call. “Hello?”

  “Uh, hey … S-summer?”

  “Yeah—who’s this?”

  “Um. This is Haruki, Max’s dad.”

  That name and voice sound so familiar, but it couldn’t be him. That is too much of a coincidence.

  “Oh, hi. I’m picking him up right now.”

  “Yeah, thanks again. Sorry for calling your phone. I got your number from your mom.”

  “It’s fine.”

  “Um, do you think I can talk to Max?”

  “Yeah—yeah … totally.” I pause and hand the phone to Max. “Hey, it’s your dad.”

  Max snatches the phone from me and puts it to his ear.

  Rude.

  “Hi, Daddy… Nope, I was going to, but I had to use the bathroom.”

  If you listen really hard you don’t hear the speech impediment, just a few things are hard to decipher.

  “But when I went back outside,” Max continues, “the bus was gone,” he exclaims, while gesturing with his free hand.

  Did he just say done? Oh, the bus was “gone.” Okay. I smirk. He’s pretty animated and super cute.

  “Her name it Tummer—tool, huh?”

  I smile, Tummer, I gush over his cuteness.

  “Okay. See ya later. You want to talk to Tummer?”

  Oh, my gosh. He’s so cute!

  “He wants to talk to you,” Max informs, as he hands me the phone and places his hands on the handles of his backpack.

  “I take the phone from him. “Hello?”

  “Hey, Summer…”

  “Yeah?”

  “So, don’t tell your mom.”

  He is shady already, jackass. I CAN’T wait to tell her whatever he’s about to say!

  “She already thinks I’m sort of a spaz. I promise, I’m not this disorganized. I just really want this promotion.” He sighs. “Do you think you can take Max home? Or I can pick him up from your mom’s office or something? I won’t be home until around eight tonight. I mean I could leave, but it would probably ruin my chances at getting the promotion. I can pay you whatever you want.”

  Wow, he’s desperate. He doesn’t sound like he’s full of shit at all. “I-I don’t really know what’s a good amount, honestly.”

  “Five-hundred dollars?”

  Five hundred? “Um, I can bring him home after his session with my mom. You don’t have to go through all that trouble. That’s way too much money.”

  “No, it’s no problem. I know you don’t know us, but I can really use the help tonight. Your mom thought you were responsible enough to get Max, so I just took a shot in the dark. You’re probably way more responsible than me. I’m not trying to put you out or anything. If you can’t do it…”

  “No, it’s okay. Yeah.” Why am I saying yes? I gulp. “Max seems cool. It’ll be cool to hang out with him.”

  “He’s great, actually. I could have had a different kid. I wasn’t a horrible child, but I am probably a horrible person.” He laughs.

  “I think I am too.” Oh, my goodness! Why did I say that? Hopefully he doesn’t notice.

  “Oh, man. I’m sorry. You probably think I’m a horrible dad.”

  “No, why would you say that?”

  “I don’t know. Just, sorry.”

  “No, it’s all good. Like I said, I’m happy to do it. Max seems fun.”

  “Yeah, he’s my little man. I already told him I was going to ask you. So, you can just tell him you said you’d do it, and you can have whatever you want at the house. We don’t have a lot in the way of real food, but there’s lots of snacks. We eat at restaurants a lot. I don’t have a lot of time or skill to cook. On the coffee table, in the living room, there’s a credit card. Order what you want. The key is in the mailbox.”

  “Oh, um … okay.”

  “Call if you have any problems. Max shouldn’t give you any though. He’s pretty much raising himself and me.” He chuckles.

  He’s funny. I see why Mom likes him, but I can see how she’d think he’s still a kid.

  “Cool,” I say.

  “I’ll text you the address.”

  “Awesome. We’ll see you later then?”

  “Yeah. Tell Max I said goodbye.”

  “I will.”

  The call ends.

  Five-hundred dollars?! He’s nuts. I chuckle to myself as Max and I head to my car.

  “Wait—do you need a car seat or something?” I ask, opening the passenger side door for Max.”

  “Well, no I’m five. I just tan’t tit in the front teat.”

  “Oh! That makes sense.” I shut the door and open the back-passenger door.

  Max hops into the back.

  “Don’t forget to put your seatbelt on.”

  “I won’t. You sound like my dad.” He laughs. “But why would I forget? It’s the law, duh.”

  “You’re right.” I giggle.

  This kid is so cool. He’s way cooler than I thought five-year-olds could be. He’s like a mini person, I think as I open the driver’s door and get into the car. I start it and put the car in gear. Some music plays on the radio, not too loud. I hum a bit as I drive back to my mother’s office.

  I glance at the rearview mirror. What happened? He looks kind of sad. I probably shouldn’t say anything. He doesn’t really know me. I don’t want to be a nosey adult. I sigh.

  “Uh … T-tummer?”

  “Yeah, Max?”

  “You tan undertand me?”

  “Huh?”

  “Like when I talk? You know, I go to a ‘peach’ therapist.”

  “Yeah, I understand you. And of course, silly, I know you do speech therapy. Where do you think I’m taking you?” I smile.

  He sighs and smiles. “You mutt, have tuperhero ears.”

  Aw, superhero ears—he’s adorable.

  “Nah I think my ears are regular.”

  “They tan’t be. Nobody undertandt me.”

  “Nobody?”

  “Nope, not eben my teachers.”

  “Oh, your teachers don’t? What about your dad?”

  “He doet. But your mom?”

  “Yeah, Ms. Vaugh is my mom.”

  “Yeah, she’s going to fix it.”

  “Yeah,
she’s definitely going to help you. She’s really good at helping kids.”

  “I hate when people don’t undertand me.” Max sighs sadly.

  “Yeah. I hate that, too.”

  “Everybody undertandt you. You talk all right.”

  “Just all right?” I smile.

  He looks up at me and giggles. “I lite you. You tan be my friend. I don’t habe a lot of friends at tool. They tall me a baby.”

  “What? Friends are overrated. We can be friend’s though.”

  “Yeah, I make one hundredt all the time and they don’t. They are babies.”

  “Totally. Don’t worry. My mom’s going to help you, then you’ll be unstoppable.”

  “Yeah…” he says, looking out the window.

  Now he’s happy. We even sing some songs together.

  He feels lonely, doesn’t he? Well, when we go to his house, we’re going to have so much fun. He’ll forget all about what those stupid kids say—I hope his teachers aren’t mean to him.

  We pull into the parking garage of my mother’s office, and I park the car before Max and I hop out.

  “Tag!” I tap him on the shoulder and take off running to the entrance of the building. He stands there for a moment, putting his backpack on, then takes off running toward me. I zig. I zag, and he zags and zigs, and for about five minutes, we run around to the concrete entryway.

  “Got, ya!” he says.

  “Dang!” I laugh and open the door to the office building. “All right, you ready to go to speech therapy?”

  “Yeah!”

  “Awesome! Let’s do it!” I say as we walk in. We take the elevator up to my mother’s office.

  “We’re here,” I announce.

  “Hi Mit, Baughn…”

  “Ah-ah-ah … remember what I taught you? Bite down on your bottom lip.”

  “Oh, yeah!” he says and takes a breath. “Hi Mit, V-vaughn, and Tummer V-vaughn.”

  “Look you did it. No problems!” my mother says, and he runs up to her and gives her a hug.

  Wow, she looks genuinely happy. How is that even possible?

  “All right, kiddo.” My mother smiles and stands up from her bent down position. She looks over at me and asks, “Did you have any more problems?”

  “Nope, all good.” I smile. “Okay. I’ll be in the lounge.”

  “You can tome if you want,” Max suggests.

  “Max it’s our special time. She already got to have special time with you. I’m sad now.” My mother puts on a sad face.

  Yeah, sure. Guilt him in to spending time with you. Bet that’s how it works with men too, huh? I smirk.

  Max laughs. “I was just tidding.”

  “Well, I guess I’ll let you guys have special time.” I pretend to mope out. I never really paid attention to how attentive my mom is to the kids she helps. It’d be nice if she’d pay attention to me. Maybe I should have had something she could fix, then she would care.

  I walk into the lounge and sit down on the sofa. My mind drifts off into thought after a while. Wow, five hundred bucks to hang out with a kid. Maybe I should cook him something. He can have a yummy home-cooked meal. We could watch some TV. He’d have a lot of fun. I smile to myself, maybe I will major in something that involves kids after all.

  I receive a text message. “You at your mom’s office? Don’t answer. I already know you are. You’re lame.”

  Darby.

  I text her back. “Yeah. I’m at my mom’s office.”

  “Do you want to hang out later, maybe catch a movie? Be a young adult instead of a hermit crab? Since we don’t go out and party anymore—loser?”

  I laugh. “I actually have to work tonight. Well, not work. I’m babysitting.”

  “Babysitting? Who or what?”

  “A kid. I think my mom likes his dad. I’ve never actually seen the Dad, but he’s paying me five hundred bucks, so I could care less. Honestly, the kid is awesome.”

  “Five hundred bucks? Are you kidding me? Can I come help? You could spare two hundred and fifty dollars, can’t you?”

  “Not on your life.”

  “Stingy!”

  I send her back a smiley face.

  “Have fun,” she writes back.

  After about an hour, I hear Max’s voice in the hall. I get up and put my phone away. Opening the door of the lounge, I step out and shut it. My mother and I lock eyes in the hallway.

  “Tum—”

  “Ah—remember to smile, and place your tongue behind your teeth and let air through, Maxie.”

  “Oh … okay … S-s-stummer.”

  “What? That was awesome!” I smile, encouragingly.

  Max’s shoulders drop. “No, it wasn’t … I till didn’t tay it right.”

  “It’s okay. Sometimes it takes a while for things to happen. I’ve been a freshman in college for two years.” I joke.

  “What?” Max says confused.

  “Sorry. I was trying to be funny. Never mind. It’s all good. You’re doing great.”

  “You sure are.” My mother smiles. “Summer?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Mr. Arima will be here to get Max around six, so…”

  “Actually, I’m taking Max home.”

  “What? Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “It’s no big deal, Mom. It’s fine. His dad asked me, and I said yes.”

  “Then he’d better pay you. He can definitely afford it.” She pauses. “I really thought we’d get a chance to chat.”

  Too bad. I smile.

  “Awesome! Tan we ting on the way to the hout?” Max asks.

  “Totally! Singing is awesome. I’m down!” I say.

  My mother purses her lips. “So, I guess I’ll have to find my own dinner tonight, huh?”

  “It’s not going to be long, Mom.”

  “Oh, you’re just dropping him off? I’ll grab something on the way home. You want me to pick something up for you?”

  “Nah, I’m okay. I’ll eat later,” I reply.

  “Okay. See you later, Maxie! Keep practicing.”

  “I will Mit … B-b-v-vaughn!” he says.

  “Look at you! Amazing!” My mother hugs Max.

  “I know I am … tanks!” Max says and struts ahead of me down the hall.

  I giggle.

  “He really is awesome.” My mother smiles caringly, but only for a moment. In the next breath, she says, “And you better make sure his daddy pays you. This is way too much! You shouldn’t have agreed. He’s using you and trying to see what he can get. Pretty soon you’re going to be keeping Max, and he’s going to be out doing God knows what with God knows who. You know these young fathers don’t have morals. I should have gone to get him myself; give a man an inch, he’ll take a mile. He wouldn’t be asking all of this, if it was me. He already knows, I’m not to be played with.”

  Says the woman trying to set him up for a ‘chat.’ “Bye, Mom!”

  “Don’t let him shortchange you either, Summer!” she yells to me as I catch up with Max. “This is easily worth one hundred dollars.”

  Yeah, and he’s giving me more, but you’ll never know. I smile, ignoring my mother’s promptings.

  Max and I head to my car in the parking garage. I let him in the back. He buckles up without me telling him. I get in the car, start it, get the GPS up, and we are off.

  “So, Max, what’s your favorite thing to eat?” I ask.

  “Tooties!” He pauses. “Oh, I mean … t-t-t-c-o-t-ies c-o-k-i-e-s.”

  “Oh, wow. That was pretty awesome. How did you remember to say that?”

  “Oh, Mit Baughn, I mean, B-v-vaughn, taid, I mean t-th-s-s-aid, t-say it like I’m gargling.”

  “That’s a neat trick.” I giggle.

  “Yeah. Can we liten to the radio?”

  “Yeah, we can. But first, what else do you like to eat other than cookies? Like real food.”

  “Um, mat and teese.”

  “I could make some mac and cheese.”

  “Awesome
!”

  “Mac and cheese for dinner it is!” I squeal, turning up the radio.

  We sing all the way to his house.

  Chapter Seven: Haruki Arima

  “Is this the place?” I ask myself, looking around at the neighborhood and checking the address Haruki texted me. Yep, this is it. I cut off the car.

  “When is Daddy tumming home?” Max asks, unbuckling his seatbelt to hop out of the car.

  “He said around eight.” I get out of the car and lock the doors.

  Wow, this house is really nice. This neighborhood is really nice.

  We walk up to the door, passing pillars on the sides of us. There is no porch, and the door is covered by a screen with white sides. I open it, reach into the mailbox near the door, and pull out one silver key. I stick it in the doorknob and open the door. Walking in, I think, This house is going to be immaculate.

  Wow, this house is a mess. There are clothes all over the living room, and it smells like guy in here.

  “You have to take your thoes off,” Max says, as he slips his off. Leaving my side, he runs in the direction of the hall, goes down it, and up some stairs.

  I do as he says and take my shoes off. Then, I walk into the kitchen.

  The only place that isn’t covered with something is the kitchen. It’s spotless in here. I go back into the living room. Where did he say that credit card was? I look around the living room and spot it, taking it off the coffee table. I’ll just order something. I won’t cook anything. I’d hate to add to the mess, especially in the one place that isn’t messy.

  I look through some nearby restaurants on my phone, order some mac and cheese, and get Haruki some too.

  Max comes back down.

  “So, what do you and your dad usually do when you get home?” I ask.

  “Well, Daddy usually goes to his office,” Max says, and though I know he has a speech impediment, I understand everything he says just fine. I don’t even notice it. “I usually play in my room. After dinner, we watch a movie or play a game.”

  “Oh, okay. I ordered the food. Want to play a game until it gets here?”

  “Yeah!” Max runs somewhere and returns with a board game.

  “Wow! I haven’t played one of these in a long time,” I enthuse.

  He explains the directions to me as he’s opening the box and setting up the game. We play until the delivery guy knocks on the door. Then, we play during dinner.